This disclosure relates generally to the machining of valve bodies during manufacture and repair. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and method for machining surfaces within valve bodies.
When a valve handles an abrasive fluid, various internal portions of the valve body become worn, pitted, or embedded by particles in the fluid and eventually require repair or replacement. An example is the wear experienced by the seat region of high pressure gate valves used in various well operations for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Considering this example further, the valve seat region may also become embedded by, for example, fracturing proppant when the valve closes rapidly during operation. Traditional techniques for valve body manufacturing and repair use rotary cutters to machine inner surfaces of the valve body. An advantage would be achieved by developing a new apparatus or method for modifying inner surfaces of the valve body having an economic, operational, or quality improvement such as greater accuracy, finer surface finish, reduced surface hardening, and/or reduced operation time as compared to other machining techniques.